Sylvania



March 24, 1931 P. H. CRAGO RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Dec.

INV ENTOR Z l ax-W Patented Mar. 24, 1931 x sYLvA'NIA RAILWAY-Emarrro-conrnorrine ArrARArUs, v I

Application filed December 3, 1929. Seria1,No.,-l11,286.

' My invention relates to railway traffic controlling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus for safely governing the movements of cars or trains at points where an electric railway intersects another railway; I

I will describe oneform of apparatus em bodying my-invention, and will then point out the-novel features thereof in claims.

The accompanyin drawing is a diagrammatic View illustrating one form of apparatus embodying my invention;

Referring to the drawing, the reference character A designatesthe track of an electric railway which intersects the track B of another railway at the point '1, and over each of which tracks traflic moves in both direc- Associatedwith the track 'A is a current conductor, here shownas the usual trolley" wire 2. Thetrolley wire-2 is 'co-nnected'with: it

one I terminal"; of a generator C, the other terminal of which is-connectedwith the return conductor or ground at 3. It will be apparent, therefore, that the trolley wire 2 I: is constantly supplied with current which may be used both for propulsion and for the control of'apparatus to be described in de tail hereinafter. I The track B is provided with an insulated Isection a-b which extends in each direction from the point of intersection 1,-and which is'electrically insulated from points beyond the rails-adjacent one end of the section, and

a track relay D connected across the rails adj acent the other end of the section. 1 It will be apparent, therefore, that in accordance with the usual practice, the track relay D will be energized when track B is unoccupied within the limits of the insulated section, and deenergized when a train occupies any part of p 7 V c cally connected with 'thetrolley wire 2, and

the insulated section of this track.

The movement of cars approaching the point of intersection 1 over track A isfgo-vernedbytwo derails E and E flocated in track A'on opposite sides of'th'e intersecting point l, and arranged to cause'derailment of however, the plunger 6 is moved downwardly which theywere last operated until cars approaching the intersecting point. Each derail'is controlled'by suitable operating mechanism, designated by the refer-' ence chara'cter F witha distinguishing exponent corresponding to the exponent of the reference character for the associated derail. Referringto the operating mechanism F for derail E this 'mechanism,-in the form here rAUL H. cnAeo; or WILKINSIBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, AssrGNoR to THE UNIONSWITCH p & SIGNAL COMPANY, or SWISSVALE, PE NSY V NI A oonronarroiv-orrnnnshown, comprises a plunger 6 operatively I connected with the derail E and controlled by two windings 7 and 8. When'Windin-g 'T is energized, the plunger 6 is movedupwardly and the derail E is opened, as illustrated in the drawing When winding 8 is energized and derail E? becomes-closed. The operating mechanism F for the derail E? is similarin form and operationto the operating mechanism-F forthefderail' E *Under normal conditions,- the derails Ei a'nd E are both open'tocause derailmentof anyfunauthorized train approaching the crossing from either direction on track A. I I

v Associated with'der'ail E is a contact 9;'9 which is closed only when derail E is closed, and associated with derail E is a similar con: tact -10" 10 which is closed. only when derail E? is closed; l

The operating mechanisms F and F are controlled by the track relay 'D,and by two relaysJ and J each comprising a normal winding 11, a reverse winding 12,1and a plu rality ofcohtactmembers movable into normal or reverse positions to close normalor reverse contacts according as the normalor reverse; winding is energized. These relays are constructed in such manner that'the' con tact members will remain in the positions-to 0S1- tively moved out of thesep'ositions. I

The relays J and J ,-in turn, are controlled byfour trolley contactorsH ,H 'I-I and H each of which, in the form here shown, comprises a movable {contact vmember I8, electriof a car' when'the car pas'ses lthe .contacton For examplqanfeastbound car, upon'passing conta'ctor H will} engage the. contact mom'- will operate contactor H just before it i reaches derail E and will operate contactor H ust after it passes derail E while a westbound car will operate-contactor H just be fore it reaches: derail E and will. operate contactor H? jaustafter it passes derail E;

The movement of northbound trains approachingthe point of intersection 1 over section ab is controlled by a suitable roadside signal S, and the. movement of southbound trains approaching thepoint of intersection 1 over section crb is controlled by a similar signal S Each signal, as here shown, coinprises. two electric lamps; G and R, adapted when illuminated, to indicate proceed and stop, respectively,

V Thel-amps G and R of each signal S may be controlled inany suitable manner. For

example, as here shown, the green lamps G of the signals Si and: S arev connected in multiple and are supplied with current from a battery L over a front: contact 1616 of'a home relay K, and the red lamps R are like wise connected irn multiple and are supplied with current: from battery: L over a back contact 16-16 of relay K. The relay K, in turn, is controlled by the relay D and by the relays. J and IV, as willbe described in detail hereinaftelzf c As shownim the drawing,v section air-J) is unoccupied, so that track relay D is energized. The contacts of contactors H?,.H ,.H and H. are: all open, The windings 11 and 12 ofboth relays J and: J are de-energi'zedand the contacts of these relays occupy their normal or right-hand positions to which they were last moment. Since normal: contact 2Q--2(). of relay J is closed, current is supplied to winding 7; of operating mechanism F over a circuit which passes from trolley wire-,2: through wires 21, 22 and 23', normal contact 21l2l) oat relay J wires 82 and winding 7 of operating; mechanism F and wire 29" to-gronnd at 3. Current is also supplied to winding 7 of the operating mechanism F over a branch of the cir'cuitjust traced, this branch passing from wire 82 through wire 34, winding 7 of operating mechanism 1?, and wires 35- to ground at 3 The winding? oii each of the operating mechanismsF is: therefore energized, so that derails E? and E are: held open. Since relay D is: energized, and since: normal contact 39-39 of relay J and normal contact 4lll of relay J 2 are both closed, a circuit is also completed for relay K over which current flows from trolley wire 2 through wires 21 and 36, front contact 31 of relay D, wire 37, winding of relay K, wire 88, normal contact 3939 of relay J wire 40, contact LL-41 of relay J and wire 4:2to ground at lielay K is therefore energized so that I signals S and S indicate proceed.

wire 19 and 19- toground at 3. Relay J therefore opens its normal contacts and closes its reverse contacts. Vlhen normal contact 39--39 of relay J is opened, the circuit previously traced tor relay K is interrupted, and relay K becomes de-energized, so that signals' Sland S indicate-stop, thus prohibiting a train from entering section aZ under these conditions. These signals will then continue to indicate stop until the car passes contactor 1-1 for reasons which will be made clear asthedescription proceeds. WVhen normal contact 2O20 of relay- J is opened, the circuit'for the winding 7 of eachoperating mechanism F is opened, and when contact 2020 of relay J closes, current is supplied to winding 8 of operating mechanism F over a circuit which passes from trolley wire 2, through wires 21, 22 and 23, reverse contact 20 20 of relay J wire 24, normal contact 25-25 of relay J wire 26, front contact 27 of track. re=

lay wires 59 and 28, winding Sofioperating mechanismF- and wires 57 and 29 to ground at 3, Current is also supplied to winding 8 of operating mechanism. F over a branch of the circuit just traced, this branchpassing from wire 59 through wire 4.3, winding 8 of operating mechanism F and wires 58 and 35 to ground at The winding 8 of each of themechanisms therefore becomes energized and operates the associatedplunger 6, so that thederai-ls E oand E become closed. lVhen derail E becomes closed, it closes contact 9-9 and when derail E becomes closed, it closes contact 10-10 Since reverse contact 8'O 30 of relay J is now closed, currentis supplied to winding 12 of relay J over a circuit which passes from trolley wire 2 through wires 21, 22. and i l, reverse contact 3030 of relay J wire 45 winding 12 of relay J wire 46-,and' thence through either i wire 47 and contact 99 to g round at 3, or

' rail E becomes closed, the car may proceed at'3; Relay J thereforeopens its normal contacts. When normal contact -25 of relay J is opened, the circuit foreach of the windings 8 is opened, and these windings therefore become 'de-energized, The derails E and E1 however, remain closed under these conditions. When normal contact 11- 11 of relay J 2 is opened, the circuit for relay K which was previously opened at nor mal Contact 3939*F of relay J, is then also opened atnormal contact 41-41 of relay J and it will be apparent, therefore, that signals S and S will continue to indicate stop as long as contact ll-Al of relay J 2 re- 5 mains open even though contact 39-39 of relay J now becomes closed. As .soon asdepast the derail. The parts will usually be so arranged, however, thatthe car will either haveto stop, or else proceed at a very slow pletes a circuit for winding 11 of relay J fromtrolley wire 2 through contact 131 1 of contactor H Wires 19 and 50 windin 11 of relay J and wires 51 and 19 to ground at 3. Relay J therefore opensitsreverse contacts and closes its normal contacts.

, When reverse contact 30. of relay J is opened, the circuit previously trac'ed' for winding 1201f relay J 2 is opened, and'winding12 of relay J therefore becomes de-energized. j Since both windings of relay J are then de-energized, the normal contacts of re lay'J remain open. When normal contact 20-420? of relay J is closed, the circuit for each of the, windings? is then again closed,

and'the' windings 7 become energized, thereby opening the derails. E and'E The derailE. is therefore openwhen the car reaches this derail. The derails are sov constructed,

however,that acar can trailpastthederails, l aandgsince the winding 7' of mechanism F218 energ zedunder these conditions, the derail will be opened again immediately after the car passes the derail.

T11 of relay J 2 at contact 13'14 of this'co'ntactor, and current flows from trolley wire 2,

. through wires '52 and 53, Winding 11 of relay J and wire 54 to ground'at 3. Relay J therefore closes its normal contacts. WVhen 5''; normal contact 11'-4c1 of relay J 2 is closed,

ofi 'When the car passes contactor H, the clos'- the circuit for relay K is completed since normal contact 3939 of relay J 'is then closed, and relay K becomes energized. -Sig-' nals S and S then again indicate'proceed,

0 so that the-parts are restored to the positions in which they are illustrated" in the drawing." I-cwill next assume that a westbound car' traverses track A from apoint eastof contactor H to a point west of contactor 1-1 When the car reaches contactor H a circuit is closed for Windlll 7 ing of contact 13- 15 of thiscontactorcompletes a circuit for winding 12 of 'relayJ from trolley wire 2 through contact 13 15 of contactonI-I, wires and 18, winding 12 of relay J andwires 19and19? to ground at Relay J thereforeopens. its normal" contacts i and closes its reverse contacts, .VVhen normalc'ontact 3939 of relay J is." opened, relay 3K becomes f de-energized, so

that signalsS and S indicate stop. WVhenl reverse contacti20-'-20 of relay J :becomes closed,thewinding 8 of eachof the operating mechanismsFbecomes energized, thus closing the derails E and E The car may thenproceed past derail E 1 The'parts will usually be so arranged,-however, that the car will either have to stop, or else proceed at a very slow speed after it passes contactor H to await the closing of the derail E When the derails E and E are closed, the circuit for winding 12 of relay J 2 is closed at contacts 99 and 10- 10, and relay J? therefore opens its normal contacts. l/Vhen normal contact 2525 of relay J 2 is opened, the windings 8 becomede-energized. When the car passes contactor H a circuityfor winds ing 11 of relay J1 is'completed at contact 1 1315- of. this contactor "and currentlflows,

from trolley wire 2 through contact 13-15 of .95 relay J and wires 51and 19 to ground at contactor H wires 55 and 50,winding 11 of 3, *Rel'a'y-J therefore opens its reverse contacts, and closes, itsnormal contacts. "When I reverse contact 30.30 of relay J is opened,

relay J therefore remain open. YVhen normal contact 20 20 of relay.J is closed, each of the windings? becomes energized, and the Q derails E and-E areopenedl VVhenthe car passes contactor H a'circuit is closed for winding- 11 of relay J at contact 13-15 of contactor H and current fiowsfrom trolley wire 2 through contact 13-15 of contactor 5 H ,'wires 56 and53, winding 11 of relay J and wire54 to ground at 3. Relay J 2 there fore closes its normal contacts. 'VVhen normalcontact 4:1 4:1 of relay-J is closed, relay K' then becomes energized so that signals S and S? indicate proceed. The parts are then a restored to the positions inwhich they are il-l lustrated in the drawing.

. It should be pointed out that a following car cannotclose a derail after a preceding car has closed it' until the preceding car has passed contactor Hi if the preceding car is an eastbound car, or conta'ctor' H if thepreceding car is a westbound car. For example, I Wlll assume that an eastbound .car has passed derail E. but has not passed con tactor H .-'Under these conditions-the con that derails E and E become closed.

occupy their reverse positions. As a result,' if a followingeastboundcar now passes con tactor H winding 12; of relay J will become energized, thereby closing the reverse contacts of this relay,"but since normal contact 25 25 of relayJ is open, the circuit for the winding 8 of each operating mechanism Fis opened atthis contact, and the derails E and IE will therefore remainopen. It will be apparent therefore that a following eastbound car cannot pass derail E under these conditions. When the preceding car has passed contactor H however, the resultant energization of winding 11 restores the contacts of relay J to their normal positions, thereby closing the circuit for the winding 8 of each of the operating mechanisms F, and thus permitting the derail to close so that the following car can then proceed in the usual manner. The operation of the apparatus if a following westboundcar passes contactor H after a preceding car has closed derail E but before the preceding car has becomes de-energized, thus" causing signals S and S to lndi-cate stop, thereby warning other trains on track B not to enter section a b. When the eastbound car on track A passes contactor H winding 12 of relay J becomes energized, thereby opening the reverse contacts of relay J 'and closing its normal contacts. Since front contact 27 of relay D is now open, however, the circuit for the winding 8 of each operatmg mechanism is open at this contact, and the windings 8 therefore remain de-energized so that the derails E and E? remain open. As a result, a car is prevented from passing derail E as long as the train remains in section ab.

As soon as the train passes out of the section, however, the resultant energization of"tra.ck relay D closes the circuit for the operating winding 8 of each operating mechanism F so car may then proceed in the usual manner. The operation of the apparatus if a westbound car on track A approaches derail IE when section a b is occupied by a train, is

similar to that just described for an east-, bound car and will be readily understood from an inspection of the. drawing.

One advantage of apparatus embodying my invention is that protection for cars on the electric line is obtained wi hout the use The of signals, since the normally open derail: acts as; a stop requirement, and the closed position of the derail gives authority to proceed. a Y Although I have herein ancl'described only one form ofrailway trafiic controlling apparatus embodyingrny invention, 1

it, is understood that various changes and modificationsmay be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without depart ing from the spirit and scope of my inven tion..

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1.111 combination, an" electric railway track provided with a'normally open derail, a first trolley contactor adaptedto be operated by: a. car approaching said derail, a.

second trolley contactor adapted to be operated by the car just after the car has passed beyond said derail, a: third trolley contactor adapted to be operated by said car after said car has passed a predetermined distance beyond said second contactor, means controlled by said first contactor for at times closing said derail, means controlled by said second contactor for subsequently opening said derail, and means for preventing said derail from again becoming closed until said third i contactor is operated.

2. In combination, a railway track provided with a derail having open and closed positions, a first and a second winding, means for moving said dera'ilto its open position when said first windingii-s energized and for moving said derail to its closed position when said second winding is energized, means for normally energizing said first winding to move said derail toits open position, means controlled by a first'trolley contactor for deenerg zing said first 'windingand for at times energizing said second winding when a car approaches said derail to move said'derail to its closed position, means controlled by a second trolley contactor for de-energizing said second winding and for energizing said first winding after, saidcar has passed said derail to restore said derail to its open position, and means for preventing subsequent energization of said second winding to again move said derail to its closed position until a third trolley contact'or is operated by said car.

3. In combination, a railway track provided with a derail having open and closed positions, first and second relay-s each comprising first and second windings and normal and reverse contacts arranged to become closed according as'the second orthe first winding is energized, means controlled by a normal contact of said first relay for moving said derail to its open position, means controlled by a reverse contact of said first relay and a normal contact of said second relay for moving said derail to its closed position,

means for energizing the first winding of said first relay when a car approaches said derail,

close areverseor a'normalcontactaccording as said first or said second windings is ener .gized, atrolley wire associated with said elec-;- tric railw-ay track and constantly supplied means for energizing the second winding of said first relay when said car has passed said derail, means including a reverse contact of said first relay for energizing the firstwinding of said second relay, and means for ener gizing the second winding of said second relay after said car has proceeded a predetermined distance past said derail.

' 4. In combination, a railway track pro- VidOCl with a derail having open andclosed posltlons, first and second relayseacl cont,

prising first and second windings and normal and reverse contacts arranged to become closed according as the second or the first winding is energized, means controlled by a normal contact of said first relay for moving said derail to its open position, means controlled by a reverse contact of said first relay and a normal contact ofsaid second relay for moving said derail to its closed position, a first contact arranged to be operated by a car approaching said derail, a second contact arranged to be operated by said car y when said car has passed said derail, a third contact arranged to be operated by said car I when said car has proceeded a predetermined distance past the point at which said second contact was operated,'means controlled by said first contact for energizing the first winding of said first relay, means controlled by said second contact for energizing the second windingof said first relay, means con trolled by a reverse contact of said first relay and said derail for energizing the first windin ofsaid second relay, and means contr lled by said third contact for energizing the second winding of said second relay. 5. In combination, first and second intersecting railway tracks, a derail in said first track adjacent said intersection having open and closed positions, means for normally 'moving said derail to its open position, a Y

normally open contact arranged to be closed by a car approaching said intersection in rear of'said derail, means controlled by said first contact for at times moving said derail to its closed position, a second normally open contact arranged to be closed by said car after said carhas passed said derail, means controlled by said second conta'ctffor restoring said derail to its open position, a third normally open contact arranged to be operated intersection, and means effective after said first contact has been operated by said car for preventing the subsequent closing of said derail until said third contact has been operated by said car.

6. In combination, an electric railway track intersecting another railway track, a derail insaid electric railway track adjacent said inj tersection having open and closed positions, first and second relays each comprising first by said car after said car has passed said 1 and" second windings and a contact'memb er movable to a reyerse'or a'normal position to with current, means for-supplying the first said trolley wire when afcar moving toward, said intersection approaches said Y derail means for supplying the second winding of said firstrelay with current from'saidtrolley Wire when-said car has passed said derail, means including a reverse contact of said first relay fo'r supplyingthe first winding offsaidz- -=se cond relay with current from said trolley wire when said derail is closed, means for sup? plying the second windingof said secondrelay with current from said trolley wire when said ear has passed said intersection, means v including a normal Contact of said first relay for moving-said derailto its iopen position,

: and means including a reverse contact of said first relay and anormalfcontact of said seci ond relay for moving said derail to its closed position, -1 r 7 In'c ombination, an electricrailway track intersectlng a second railwayitrack, a derail l in said electric railway'track' adjacent said intersection having open and closed positions,

a relay comprising first and second windings and reverse and normalcontactsarranged to become closed according as said firstor said second-winding is energized, means'for energizingisaid firstiwinding'when a carv moving- 'toward said intersection approaches said de rail, means for'energizing said secondwinding when said carhas -passed said derail,

. means controlled bya normal contact of said relay foriopeningjsaid derail," means con-{ trolled by a reverse contact of said relay for closing said derail, and signals for said second track controlled in part by said relay;

8 In combination, an electric railway track bers being aranged to remain in the positions 765120.

to which they were last'moved after thewindings which moved them there become de-energized, a home relay controlled by afront contact of said track relay and a normal contact of each of saidcfirst and second relays, a 812 j signal for said other track controlled by said home relay and arrangedto indicate proceed or stop according'as said home relay is energized or de-energized, a first trolley contactor arranged to be operated by a car approach intersecting another railway track, a derailalio' ing said intersection :in rear of said derail, a

vsecond trolley contactor arranged to be toperated by said car after said car has passed '1 said deraiha. thirdtrolley contactor arranged said-first trolley .contactor for energizing the r to ,be operated by said .car after said car has passed-said intersection, means controlled by :firsjt Winding ofisaid second relay, meanscon- Qtrolled said-second trolley contactor tor energizing the second Winding ofsaid second relay, means controlled by a reverse contact .of said :second relay and by said-derail for energizing' the first winding ofsaidtbird relay, r means controlled by said third trolley conatflaGl3D1" ffOI energizing the second of thirdrelay, means controlled by a nor- 7 mal contact of saidfirst relay for moving-said' derai'lwto its open position, and means controlled ?by a reverse contact ofsaidsecond relay, :a normal contact of said :third relay, and a first contact "of said track relay for moving said derailto its closed position.

:9. In combination,:anelectricrailivay track intersecting a secondrailway track, a derail in said electricirailway track adj acent said intersection having open and closed positions, a relay comprising'first-and second windings :and reverse and normal vcontacts arrangedto become closed according as said first or said second Winding is energized, means for energizing 'saiid firstazvinnhng when :a car moving toward said intersection appreaches said derail, means for energizing said mcondwinding-when said can has passed said derail, means -=contr.o1led by a normal contactofsaidrelay for opening said derail, and means controlled by Fareverse contact of said relay for closing said derail.

In testimony whereof I azliix my signature. 4 PAUL CBAGO'. 

